Coach Kellie Harper fired

[glv98]

If you know for a fact that is how it played out, then it is what it is. I thought this was all in the “he said, she said realm”. My mistake

It’s public knowledge Terri and friends ran LV NIL thru the booster club separately fm the Vol Club until last spring.

 

[chuckiepoo]

If you know for a fact that is how it played out, then it is what it is. I thought this was all in the “he said, she said realm”. My mistake

Hey. What good are you to the forum if you can’t spin a good conspiracy theory?

 

[glv98]

I hate it when that happens. Auto refresh sucks.

I’ll throw one out there.

Is it possible they, Donde and DW, were setting up an opportunity for a clean break? If the status quo succeeded, great! If it didn’t, he would make his own hire. Another issue was targets for the position. How long had CKC been on his radar?

I think that’s exactly what happened.

 

[VolBall09]

It will be interesting to see how many jobs Harper is linked to in the next hiring cycle.

Utah job could be a great place for her unless they just go with the top assistant. He’s been there quite a while and is the interim coach.

I have a feeling Texas A&M and Arkansas will also be looking for new coaches next season if she wants to be back in the SEC.

 

[1morevol]

Utah job could be a great place for her unless they just go with the top assistant. He’s been there quite a while and is the interim coach.

I have a feeling Texas A&M and Arkansas will also be looking for new coaches next season if she wants to be back in the SEC.

Where Coach Harper actually lands will be more telling than available coaching jobs having her name linked to them. That will give insight into how she is viewed throughout the women's college basketball world. I doubt Texas A&M nor Arkansas would be interested in a Tennessee reject, should those jobs become available. All just my opinion of course. The college coaching carousel often spins out some unexpected results.

 

[VolBall09]

Where Coach Harper actually lands will be more telling than available coaching jobs having her name linked to them. That will give insight into how she is viewed throughout the women's college basketball world. I doubt Texas A&M nor Arkansas would be interested in a Tennessee reject, should those jobs become available. All just my opinion of course. The college coaching carousel often spins out some unexpected results.

Truly I think she lands at a non-P4 job. A very good mid-major is truly her speed. She’s shown she can have success at that level.

FGCU could be a nice destination for her. Smesko built a very good program there, based on style of play it would be a total overhaul though.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in. There is some doubt by those close to her that she even wants to coach again since she was blindsided by the firing.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

If you know for a fact that is how it played out, then it is what it is. I thought this was all in the “he said, she said realm”. My mistake

I mean it happened. That small group of nonprofessionals had the control bc of insistence the LV NIL be separate. I said the same. If it’s hurting why is it allowed to continue? Then it wasn’t allowed to continue any more and everything changed. What part of that are you skeptical about?

I’m pretty sure both things were true. There was Kellie reluctance and LV NIL was tragically mishandled by well meaning nickle and dime amateurs.

 

[Majors]

Where Coach Harper actually lands will be more telling than available coaching jobs having her name linked to them. That will give insight into how she is viewed throughout the women's college basketball world. I doubt Texas A&M nor Arkansas would be interested in a Tennessee reject, should those jobs become available. All just my opinion of course. The college coaching carousel often spins out some unexpected results.

She could have a nice career at a Tennessee Tech. Coaching basketball, small recruiting base, hometown & wont have to worry about NIL.

 

[VolBall09]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

“The fix was in”

Sure, didn’t have anything to do with no big wins, paltry recruiting and early tournament exits.

It’s a metrics based industry. The sweet 16 might be a dream for Mo State. It’s an expectation for Tennessee.

 

[VolBall09]

She could have a nice career at a Tennessee Tech. Coaching basketball, small recruiting base, hometown & wont have to worry about NIL.

That would be a perfect fit.

Or taking over for Insell when he retires. I think they would be remiss to hire his son as HC. Ole Miss was a disaster, has never stood on his own and doesn’t have the temperament.

 

[Majors]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

Nice NegaVol dig at Caldwell and the girls. Sorry they are winning.

 

[glv98]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

Hi Earl, hope you're well.

I'd be pretty careful on that last part buddy. Indeed CKC was a hail Mary, as Creekdipper said, not a longshot but a freaking moonshot. But so far the results look really promising to make that catch in the end zone. She's gotten the existing roster to buy into her system so far, and players like Cooper and Spencer are flourishing in it. I know they'll hit bumps when competition finally gets real, but that's expected. Her team def seems like a team on the rise.

Recruiting, for whatever the reasons and advantages they now have, is through the roof. The hiring of Lazo turned out to be the key and brilliant move.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

It's all about the money...as Coach Saban said about FSU football 'you better be spending your money on the right players'.

Recruiting, for whatever the reasons and advantages they now have, is through the roof. The hiring of Lazo turned out to be the key and brilliant move.

 

[Majors]

It's all about the money...as Coach Saban said about FSU football 'you better be spending your money on the right players'.

What about the 15 years prior?

 

[glv98]

It's all about the money...as Coach Saban said about FSU football 'you better be spending your money on the right players'.

Whatever it takes, obviously it's happening for the new staff, and maybe unfairly and unjustly, it didn't happen for the last one. Sometimes life ain't fair, esp at this level of college athletics.

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

Whatever it takes, obviously it's happening for the new staff, and maybe unfairly and unjustly, it didn't happen for the last one. Sometimes life ain't fair, esp at this level of college athletics.

I traveled the world working, Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. The people I've worked with was born into what I would call a rough place, but they don't ever see it that way. They know life isn't the same for everybody. Life is not fair, but it is what it is.

You make due with what you have and try to live the next generation in a better place than you started.

I am glad things are changing for the better.

 

[1morevol]

Truly I think she lands at a non-P4 job. A very good mid-major is truly her speed. She’s shown she can have success at that level.

FGCU could be a nice destination for her. Smesko built a very good program there, based on style of play it would be a total overhaul though.

I agree.

 

[1morevol]

She could have a nice career at a Tennessee Tech. Coaching basketball, small recruiting base, hometown & wont have to worry about NIL.

I agree. Hope so.

 

[Mafiaboss]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in. There is some doubt by those close to her that she even wants to coach again since she was blindsided by the firing.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

I do know a big donor. I can’t reveal her name. She’s a millionaire via inheritance. People need to understand that players were compensated by fans long before NIL. But it wasn’t to attract players to the program. It was family. These early and loyal fans helped create the best program in women’s basketball history. Yes, they felt and some feel a sense of ownership over the team because they put their hearts and souls and dollars into the team. Grassroots. Kellie is a very good coach. She tried to coach in midst of many competing and conflicting interests. It should have been her team. Staff who had been with the Lady Vols before time and were certainly abused by Dave Hart. Boosters themselves were and are divided into different camps: My dollars and I want Kellie to stay. My dollars and I want Kellie to go. Before she passed, Pat gave Terri the Lady Vols merch copyright because she feared exactly what happened: Dave Hart temporarily destroyed the Lady Vols name and gear. Kudos to Terri for doing her part to keep the Lady Vols brand alive. Jump ahead to the past few years when change had to happen and DW made it so. He pissed off some donors, but he didn’t make his decisions to alienate them. He made them to institute a new direction for the program. Any donations lost are more than made up for through the Vol Club.

As for coaches to replace Kellie. One, DW had a very short list of candidates, not all of whom he even contacted. Second, if someone on that list turned him down, it wasn’t because they weren’t interested. It was because the pressure that comes with the job is devastating. Why give up a career coaching at say NC State where you’re comfortable, secure, make good money even though you can’t win it all? You don’t trade that for being expected to replace the greatest college basketball coach ever. Plus the politics. No. But Kim is not a Hail Mary. She knows basketball, she knows people, she’s a natural teacher and leader, she has passion, and a heart. I think of her as I did my best hunter jumper mare: Fearless and fierce and unbothered by expectations because her own expectations are higher than those of anyone else.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Fearless and fierce and unbothered by expectations because her own expectations are higher than those of anyone else.

Hmm. That personality. Sounds familiar…

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Sometimes a history lesson brings perspective.

For everyone blaming that CKJH got no support from Volunteer Club and so Ladyvols had to go create their own under funded NIL might want to rethink some of the narrative.

From my recollection

* The Volunteer Club was created by those outside the AD’s office because by NCAA by laws said the school could not have any coordination with NIL at the time.

* The Volunteer Club was initially created only for Football

* At the time the Vol Club was created, the university was fighting the NCAA and had to be extra careful

* The Volunteer Club later started supporting other sports….Not initially

All I am saying is yes things changed as they grew the Vol Club organization. I think to expect them to start with every sport day 1 is a recipe for non success.

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors, I have a feeling that long before the last year, DW was looking for certain changes he was not seeing in the program and he had a feeling a change was needed. I would also bet he had boosters reinforcing if he went and got new blood they would jump back in with their $$s in a big way.

Remember the biggest amount of dollars in Vol Club is coming from Big guys who got excited after CJH’s first year

 

[madtownvol]

NA

 

[Lucy]

Thanks GLV, that is a great summary of the different narratives that have been floating around.

Now that it is all laid out, I am skeptical of the blue hair story. I can't image that KJH, or White for that matter, would accept such crippling recruiting limitations just to keep the blue hairs happy.

It seems more likely that the deep pocket NIL donors weren't willing to invest in Kellie and the traditionalists tried to fill the gap as best they could.

But, all water under the bridge....

Maybe I want to become a LV blue hair. Evidently they live forever. Must be part vampire.

 

[madtownvol]

Maybe I want to become a LV blue hair. Evidently they live forever. Must be part vampire.

I think it is a reaction to the chemicals in the hair dye. I believe it is the same process that keeps twinkies fresh forever.

 

[Lucy]

I can confirm that this is true...I would still like to find out who the 'big' donors in the Vol Club with 'Kellie reluctance' is/are. I have a couple of suspects.

BTW, the only meeting that DW had with Kellie during the season was when she was let go, so the fix was in. There is some doubt by those close to her that she even wants to coach again since she was blindsided by the firing.

Also, they had a long list of 'big name' coaches, who all turned them down. Caldwell was a last minute 'hail mary'. We'll see how she does when she plays teams with a pulse...

Even as heartbreaking as it was how things were handled with Kellie, CKC had nothing to do with that. Kim is our coach now and we owe 100% support to her, her staff and our players.